


Tending the Fire

by KirbyWrites



Series: Short Drabbles I Decided To Make [6]
Category: Kirby (Video Games), Kirby - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Fluff, Gen, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 02:21:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18489298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirbyWrites/pseuds/KirbyWrites
Summary: Everyone hates being sick, especially Meta Knight. But this particular event is exactly what Dedede adores. Though he despises seeing his little knight in pain, it's always rewarding to take care of him- and sometimes, he'll get his daily dose of Meta Knight cuteness as well.





	Tending the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> I know I already did a sickfic involving Meta Knight and Dedede, but my friend and I did this over text and he suggested that I turn it into a fanfiction. And with my two favorite characters and a chance to have fluff, I just couldn't resist. So thanks for the fanfic idea, OrigamiMaster275.

Meta Knight hated being sick. He didn’t know why he had such a weak immune system- since one would assume that for someone like him, he’d have a better one- but he had never had the best resistance to those sorts of things anyway.

 

He really should’ve stayed at the Halberd yesterday instead of going to Dedede’s castle.

 

The king had questioned whether or not he felt well enough to be doing errands for him, and he had replied that he was fine. The knight shivered, his fever chills getting the best of him and causing him to curl up in a ball. No one had come in after Javelin, who had only dropped off a stack of paperwork, and someone had yet to notice his terrible condition.

 

He had been like this since 4 in the morning, and the clock beside him read _7:09 AM_ , meaning that he’d been stuck like this for three hours. And to make matters worse, he had the worst sore throat, making the smallest sound agonizing and near impossible, ruling out the option of calling for help.

 

Meta Knight pulled down the blankets and looked around the room to see if he could find anything to help his situation, but when he heard slamming steps echoing off the metal floor of the Halberd, he groaned and tossed the blankets over his face, concealing everything but his eyes. He didn’t need to deal with King Dedede right now, even if the king wanted to take care of him.

 

Dedede opened the door to his room and gazed at him before waddling over to his bed and sitting down on it. “I knew ya weren’t feelin’ as good as you should’ve, Meta,” the king murmured, petting him. “I told ya to go home. An’ now you’re sick…” Dedede noted Meta Knight’s glazed silver eyes and his blush-marks flushed with fever, the pink arc of heat distinct across his face.

 

“Lie down and rest for the day, eh? I’ll go getcha some Maxim Tomato soup for ya!” The puff whimpered, turning his gaze to the king and letting it stay there for a while.

 

“C’mon! Least ya could do is say thanks or somethin’...” The knight opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out except for a squeak, and even then, he winced doing it. Dedede sighed and began petting Meta Knight, a raspy mewl coming from him.

 

“There, there. You’ll feel better soon,” the king reassured. “I’ll get ya some cold towels and soup, and ya let me know when ya feel better, alright?” The knight flinched away from his touch but soon fell asleep, allowing Dedede to quietly slip out the door.

 

* * *

 

It had taken him a while to retrieve everything his little knight needed, but Dedede would go anywhere to help his beloved friend.

 

He walked up the ramp of the Halberd, carrying a tray of warm Maxim Tomato soup, a pitcher of water, and some cold towels. When the king entered Meta Knight’s room, the knight was still asleep, but woke up when he heard Dedede walk in.

 

“Alright, Meta Knight, I’ve got your stuff. If ya want more, ya can ring this lil’ bell I got here,” the king said, setting both the tray and bell on the nightstand. The Star Warrior was clearly in pain because he was so feverish, and Dedede pulled the blanket down. Meta Knight shivered and tried to get his blanket back, to no avail.

 

The king produced a thermometer from the folds of his robe and stuck it in the puff’s mouth, waiting for the beep to come. When it did beep, Dedede almost panicked from the display it showed- 107.6 degrees.

 

“Well, I’ll be darned,” the king said, trying to hide his panic, “you’re swelterin’ under that blanket of yours.”

 

Meta Knight swiped at his blanket again, only for Dedede to pull it back and away from him. “Give… it… back… please…”

 

“Fine. Just leave some room for air, okay?” Dedede tossed the cloth back and the knight threw it back over his head, disregarding his instructions completely.

 

“Oh c’mon! You need air to breathe!” The king uncovered the puff, who gasped in surprise before curling into a ball and shivering. Dedede noticed that Meta Knight had not yet noticed the things he had been brought, and didn’t notice until he told him about it. When he saw the soup, the knight looked vaguely interested but didn’t make any move to try and get it.

 

“Alright, then… maybe you’re a bit weak to touch your soup.” Dedede sat down on the bed and grabbed one of the bowls of soup, pushing the blanket back towards his knight. The Star Warrior pawed at the blanket to try and warm up again, but decided against it and snuggled up to the king instead.

 

“Aww… you’re warming up to me already. How ‘bout some soup?” Dedede said, showing him a warm bowl of Maxim Tomato soup. Meta Knight buried his face in the king’s lap, but weakly nodded. The king sighed, cradled the puffball like a baby, and flipped him right side up. The knight whimpered, flaring his wings and hitting Dedede’s face.

 

“Ouch! That hit right in the bill!” The king rubbed his face and the puff in his arms tried to apologize, but his sore throat prevented him from doing so; instead, he nuzzled into Dedede and purred as much as he could. “Ah, don’t worry ‘bout it. You’re sick and need rest, and I don’t mind bein’ here to help ya.”

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t until Meta Knight whimpered and his stomach grumbled that Dedede remembered that his sick puff needed attention. He looked down to find the knight pointing at the soup and nuzzling him affectionately. “Oh right, the soup!” Dedede exclaimed, slapping himself in the face. He dropped the puffball on his lap and attempted to spoon feed him.

 

“Water first… please..?” The knight asked, his voice terribly raspy and pained. The king picked up the pitcher, poured part of its contents into a glass, and offered it to him, his hands still on it just in case the puff was too weak from his illness to hold it. Meta Knight held the glass and swallowed all of its contents in less than 3 seconds, soon followed with a contented sigh.

 

“Alright, now for the soup?” Dedede said, holding the bowl out to him.

 

“Fine…” The king scooped a small portion of the soup and fed it to the puffball. The knight ate it and slightly winced because of his sore throat, causing the king to pet him profusely.

 

“Need water? Or more soup?”

 

“Both, please… Not all at once, though…” Dedede brought out a pitcher of water and was going to refill the glass when the puff grabbed the pitcher and emptied it, a stray drop of water rolling down his flushed cheeks.

 

“Darn, now I hafta get another pitcher…” The king picked up the spoon and offered another spoonful of soup to the sick puffball, who gladly ate it. Then Meta Knight picked up the bowl and drank straight from it, gratefully licking and drinking the soup with no regards to his sore throat.

 

“Well, aren’t ya hungry,” Dedede chuckled, taking the empty bowl from him. “Here’s a cold towel for ya while I go make some more soup. Don't forget the bell!” The king gave Meta Knight a cold towel, who rolled over and placed it on the back of his head, and waddled out of the room. Then Dedede heard the rustle of fabric and the sharp ring of the bell, which caused him to go waddling straight back.

 

He popped his head into the room. “Oh, ya needed somethin’?” The knight pointed to his wings, and Dedede guessed that his sick puffball needed towels there too. He strolled back inside with a grin on his face, took some towels, and gently draped them over the outstretched wings, hearing a hum of relief as he did so.

 

“Alright, I’ll get you some more soup, you wait here, ‘kay?” Meta Knight, however, continuously slapped the bell with his wing, clearly not wanting to be left alone now that he had gotten attention.

 

“Get Sailor Dee to do it for you…” The knight pleaded, his voice slightly less raspy than before. “Stay here… please..?”

 

“Oh, alright then. I don’t know why ya always manage to make my heart melt, Mety Knighty.” The puff smiled and nuzzled Dedede when he sat on the bed.

 

“Yo, Sailor Dee! Get some more Maxim Tomato soup and a few cold and wet towels! Get some water too!” The king hollered. The surprised Waddle Dee poked his head around the door and nodded, running off. A few minutes later, Sailor arrived with a tray on his head, full of everything that the king of Dreamland had requested.

 

“Ah, thanks, Dee.” He nodded and smiled as much as a Waddle Dee could and left the room.

 

“Right. Let’s get ya feelin’ better.”

 

* * *

 

Dedede propped up the puffball and spoonfed him as if he was a baby. Meta Knight nuzzled closer to Dedede’s feathers and purred after he had swallowed the soup.

 

The king was going to continue spoonfeeding him, but when he saw the puff shivering, he shrugged off his robe and wrapped the knight in it. Continuing the spoonfeeding, Dedede’s hand brushed the puff’s face; he didn’t feel that much cooler, but through his change in behavior, the king could tell that Meta Knight was definitely recovering.

 

“Ya want some water?” he asked, pouring out a glass and holding it out. The knight nodded, and when the glass touched his mouth, he swallowed everything- including the glass.

 

“Oh well. Guess you’re gonna drink everythin’ from the pitcher again, ain’t you?” The puff nodded again and swallowed the entire pitcher along with its contents before sighing and nuzzling into Dedede’s feathers again.

 

“Well, aren’t you just a sick one, eh?” Meta Knight puffed up, and when Dedede stared at him in bewilderment, he spat out the glass and pitcher into the blankets. The king boomed with laughter and swaddled the puff in his robe, who snuggled into the warm cloth and made Dedede wonder whether or not the puff had actually recovered. He thought about it for a while, then dismissed it for a later time when he saw the knight look up at him curiously.

 

“Ya feelin’ any better?” Meta Knight only continued purring, but still felt kind of warm. Dedede rubbed the puffball affectionately, his hand lingering over his blush-marks.

 

“You’ll get well soon… just rest…” The knight flinched back under his touch again and the king drew his arm back.

 

“Ya don’t like it when I rub ya?” Dedede asked.

 

“Just not used to it… sorry…” Meta Knight murmured, making attempts to try and get up.

 

“Oh no, don’t get up! Just rest, that’s all ya need to do!” However, the knight still insisted on getting up and was clearly looking at his desk, full of sketches and paperwork.

 

“Fine. I'll get your work for ya, but ya have to stay in bed. I'll stay with ya too if ya want.” The puff whimpered and tried to reach the desk again when Dedede picked up a random stack of paperwork and dumped it in front of the sitting puffball. Meta Knight sighed happily and buried his face in the paper, grabbing a pen from his desk.

 

“Guess you're all rested up now, so you do somethin’ to pass the time,” the king said.

 

“Thanks for taking care of me then…” Then Dedede remembered the knight's high temperature from before and decided to check again, just to be sure. When Dedede saw the display, he sighed with relief at the puff's much lower temperature of 100.5 degrees. Though it was still warm for a puffball, it wasn't life-threatening like it had been before.

 

“Well, you're gettin’ better then. Ya need some new cold towels while ya work?” Meta Knight glanced back at his wings, then up at the towel on his head. He reached out to touch one on his wing and drew his arm back once he had felt it.

 

“I don't think so… they've just dried off, it's fine,” the knight whispered, grinning slightly and coughing a bit.

 

“How 'bout some more soup then? Ya look like ya need it.”

 

“Ok… and now that I think about it… some more towels would be nice… if it isn't too much of a burden…”

 

“O’ course not! But since ya wanted me to stay last time, I can ask Sailor Dee to get it for ya again.”

 

“I don’t know… I think I can manage myself this time…” Dedede winced as the puff broke into a coughing fit, and that only made him more adamant to stay.

 

“There is no way I’m leavin’ ya alone after that,” the king said stubbornly. “Sailor Dee’s gettin’ ya some soup, and I’ll stay here to spoon feed it to ya.”

 

“Oh… ok…” And though he never said it out loud, Dedede thought his little knight looked quite cute when he was sick.

 

* * *

 

Silence reigned in the room for a while. Sailor Dee broke it with another tray of what Dedede had requested, which he dutifully placed on the table beside Meta Knight before leaving. The silence continued, but the king noted that his knight was blushing profusely, and he didn’t really know why. He figured that he’d find out, though, when the puff started speaking.

 

“Thanks again for taking care of me, Dedede… you really didn’t have to,” Meta Knight murmured, setting his work aside and burying his face in the blankets to hide his blushing.

 

“No prob’, Meta,” the king chuckled. “I can come again tomorrow if ya want.” He reached out to pet the sick puff and hesitated, recalling what had happened the last time he had tried to pet the puff. The knight saw his hesitation and struggled to form a coherent sentence.

 

“I…” Meta Knight started. He sighed and faced the king, his embarrassed blushing more intense than the penguin had ever seen it. “How I hate saying this, but… I… um… actually like the petting… it feels nice… do it again, please..?” The knight pushed his face into the blanket when he felt himself blushing harder, and he only looked up when he felt a calming hand on his head, its motions lulling him out of his thoughts.

 

“M’kay, Mety Knighty,” Dedede said, a grin on his face as he caressed the puff. “You’re blushin’ real hard right ‘bout now.”

 

“I know…” Meta Knight clambered out of the blankets and took to lying in the king's lap instead, covering himself with the penguin’s robe and getting into a comfortable position. The knight fell asleep with a slight grin on his face, making Dedede's heart flutter with cuteness.

 

“Aww…” The king sighed and stood up, carefully cradling the puff to make sure that he didn't wake up. The king of Dreamland tucked the puffball into his bed, placing his own robe over him to keep him comfortable. Meta Knight murmured something in his sleep, and Dedede leaned in only to find that his knight was talking and most likely dreaming about chocolate.

 

Dedede found it relieving that the knight would never change, even though he was sick and likely felt terrible. The king smiled and picked up the tray of supplies to keep it somewhere safe in the Halberd. But once he walked out of the room, the king heard wings brushing against the soft fabric of his robe, then a distinct, sharp _ding_. He froze in his tracks and slowly turned around.

 

“Aw darn, the bell!”


End file.
